Social Security Claiming Age Calculator: 62, 67 or 70?
Claiming Social Security at 62 cuts your check for life. Waiting past full retirement age adds 8% a year until 70. The right answer depends on how long you expect to live. Enter your full retirement age benefit from your my Social Security statement to see every option side by side, the break-even ages and which age pays you the most in total.
On your statement at ssa.gov/myaccount, called your benefit at full retirement age.
Example: $2,000 benefit at full retirement age (born 1962)
| Claim at | Monthly | Total by 80 | Total by 85 | Total by 90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | $1,400 | $302,400 | $386,400 | $470,400 |
| 64 | $1,600 | $307,200 | $403,200 | $499,200 |
| 67 | $2,000 | $312,000 | $432,000 | $552,000 |
| 69 | $2,320 | $306,240 | $445,440 | $584,640 |
| 70 | $2,480 | $297,600 | $446,400 | $595,200 |
Claiming at 62 gives $1,400 a month, 30% less than at 67. Waiting until 70 gives $2,480, 24% more. Waiting until 70 instead of claiming at 62 pays off if you live past about age 80.
How the age changes your check
- Before full retirement age: your benefit drops 5/9 of 1% for each of the first 36 months early, and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond that. At 62 with a full retirement age of 67, that is a 30% cut.
- After full retirement age: you earn delayed retirement credits of 2/3 of 1% a month (8% a year) until 70. There is no gain from waiting past 70.
- Full retirement age: 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later, 66 for 1943 to 1954, and between 66 and 67 for 1955 to 1959.
Other things to weigh
- Working before full retirement age. In 2026, $1 is withheld for every $2 you earn above $24,480 ($1 for every $3 above $65,160 in the year you reach full retirement age).
- Your spouse. When one spouse dies, the survivor keeps the larger of the two checks. Waiting raises the higher earner's check, which protects the survivor.
- Health and savings. If your health is poor or you need the money now, claiming earlier can make sense. If you can live on savings, waiting gives an inflation-adjusted, lifetime income.
Every age gets the same yearly cost-of-living raise. For 2027 that raise is 3.6%. See what it means for your check with our COLA calculator.
How this calculator works
It applies the Social Security Administration's early retirement reduction and delayed retirement credit rules to the full retirement age benefit you enter, for each claiming age from 62 to 70. Lifetime totals add the monthly checks from the claiming age to the age you expect to live to, in today's dollars. Break-even is the age when two choices have paid the same total. It does not include spousal or survivor benefits, taxes or the earnings test.
FAQ
Is it better to take Social Security at 62 or 67?
Waiting to 67 pays about 43% more each month than claiming at 62 (if 67 is your full retirement age). Waiting pays more in total if you live past about 78 or 79. Claiming at 62 pays more if you do not.
How much more do I get if I wait until 70?
You earn 8% a year for every year past full retirement age. With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 70 gives 124% of your full benefit, or about 77% more than claiming at 62.
What is the Social Security break-even age?
The age when the total from waiting catches up with the total from claiming earlier. Between 62 and 70 it is usually around age 80 to 81.
What is my full retirement age?
67 if you were born in 1960 or later. It is 66 and some months for people born 1955 to 1959, and 66 for 1943 to 1954.
Can I work and collect Social Security?
Yes. Before full retirement age, some benefits are held back if you earn over $24,480 in 2026. They are added back to your check later, after full retirement age.
Rules and rates last checked: October 2026. This is an estimate for general information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check IRS.gov or a tax professional before you file.